Fees for the sponsored children are now being collected! Andy will be going back to The Gambia to take the fees and pay them directly into our bank account in Brikama, He will also be launching the teacher sponsorship scheme. So far we have secured enough sponsorship to pay the teachers in the school a 25% pay increase. I bet we would all like that! However, we have to remember that the village school teachers are very poorly paid - and 25% is enough to keep them at the school. We are aiming to build this sponsorship initiative to possibly employ an additional teacher and so, reduce class sizes - so more sponsors please!

The trip in May will not be a holiday - I have meetings planned with the Minister of Education and the Gambia Child Fund Officer Mrs HorijaDibba. I also plan to meet builders etc. at the school to discuss further developments.